other cattle sold cheaply, the reward of Mr Hector's and Mr Glennie's long-continued efforts being lost by the fact that the herd records had been neglected.

Garline.-At Garline, Ballindalloch, Mr J. F. M'Gregor bred polled cattle, and he had the good fortune to secure, before the merits of the family were so widely recognised as now, a specimen of the Ballindalloch Ericas. This was Ella 1205, bred by Sir George Macpherson Grant, after Kildonan 405, and out of Erica 843, the foundress of this noted strain. At the dispersion of his small herd in 1874, Sir George Macpherson Grant bought one of the Ericas, Emma of Garline 1733. The other two, Ella 1205 and Editha 1737, were acquired by Mr Robertson, then at Burnside.

Of other extinct polled herds simple mention must suffice. Mr Lyell owned a very fine herd at Shielhill, descended from the stock of Mr Mustard, Leuchland. From it came the bulls Prospero 301 and Tom Pipes 302 (both after the Kinnaird sire Mariner 148), who won high honours at the Highland Society's show at Perth in 1861, and at the International show at Battersea in 1863. Herds were also maintained by Mr Patrick Davidson at Inchmarlo, at the dispersion of which, in 1857, Mr Paterson, Mulben, secured the foundress of one of his tribes; by Sir A. Burnett, at Crathes, in which there was a large infusion of Keillor blood-Mr Hugh Watson's Strathmore 5 having been used; by the Hon. Charles Carnegie at Arratsmill, dispersed in 1868, after a struggle with cattle-disease; by Captain Carnegie at Craigo, from whom Sir George Macpherson Grant and Mr Walker, Montbletton, obtained some valuable animals at the sale in 1856; by the late Earl of Aberdeen, at Haddo House, dispersed in 1861; by Mr Greig, at Middlethird, Strichen,

dispersed in 1875; at Wemyss, dispersed in 1864; by Mr J. W. Barclay, M.P., at Auchlossan, where a large and useful herd, much indebted to Westertown blood, was dispersed in 1874; at Biallid, Kingussie, where Mr Gwyer had a good herd, dispersed in 1879; at Bolshan, where Mr Goodlet had a herd, mainly built up on material obtained at Kinnaird, &c.

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CHAPTER X.

EXISTING SCOTCH HERDS.

THE ROYAL HERD AT ABERGELDIE MAINS-Her Majesty the Queen and the breed-ABERLOUR MAINS-ALTYRE-ARDHUNCART-AUCHORACHAN-BAADS-A remarkable show-yard herd-The Sybils and Halts -Prince Albert of Baads 1336 the first-prize Highland Society bull in 1879 and 1880-BALLINDALLOCH--The premier herd of the time—Its antiquity-"The talk of the country" since Mr M'Combie's earliest recollections-Sir John Macpherson Grant's purchases at Tilly four in 1850-Improvement of the herd under Sir George Macpherson Grant -Forty-two first prizes, and twenty-four special prizes, cups, and medals, gained in 1879 and 1880-Sir George's principal purchases — The sires used-Trojan 402, a son of the Paris cow Charlotte 203, and half-brother of Pride of Aberdeen 581-His influence on the herdJuryman 404, Judge 1150, and Justice 1462-Young Viscount 736, the champion bull of his day--Families cultivated at Ballindalloch-The Ericas, the Jilts, the Sybils, the Nosegays, the Coquettes, the Lady Fannys, and the Prides-Public and private sales-BALLINTOMB— BALLUNIE-BALQUHAIN MAINS-BENHOLM CASTLE-BLAIRSHINNOCH —Bridgend—Mr Auld's experience in connection with the Tillyfour herd-Famous animals at Bridgend bred by Mr M'Combie-Pride of Aberdeen 9th 3253 the highest-price cow of the breed-Knight of the Shire 1699-Mr Auld's aim to collect as many branches of Mr M'Combie's Queen tribe as are obtainable-BURNSHANGIE.

We shall now furnish, with as much completeness as the limits of our space will permit, a description of the exist ing herds of polled cattle in Scotland. In order to make reference as easy as possible, we have, in alluding to the herds, adopted the alphabetical arrangement.

Abergeldie Mains.

Her Majesty the Queen commenced a herd at Abergeldie Mains about a year ago. Her Majesty had previously

manifested her interest in the breed by visiting Tillyfour and inspecting Mr M'Combie's fine herd. More recently, the Queen was graciously pleased to present a splendid challenge cup for the best animal of the polled breed exhibited at the shows of the Cromar, Upper Dee, and Donside Agricultural Association, at Tarland. This valued trophy was awarded to polled animals bred in the district embraced by the Association, and it has greatly stimulated careful cattle-breeding among the members. Her Majesty also honoured the Polled Cattle Society by becoming its Patroness. The royal herd was collected under the superintendence of Dr Profeit, and the first purchases were made from Mr Walker, Westside; Mr Lumsden of Clova; Mr Walker, Ardhuncart; Mr Strachan, Wester Fowlis, &c. At the Balquharn sale in 1881, the fine heifer Pride. of Aberdeen 24th 4327, out of Lord Tweedmouth's 225 guineas cow Pride of Mulben 3rd 3249, was bought for 125 guineas. The Abergeldie herd was first represented in the show-yard at the meeting of the Royal Northern Agricultural Society at Aberdeen last year, when the first prize was gained for pairs of cows with Blossom 2nd 3951 and Mary 2nd 3952, bred by Mr Walker, Westside of Brux, and the fourth prize for yearling heifers with Pride of Aberdeen 24th 4327.

Aberlour Mains.

The late Mr Robertson, father of Mr William Robertson, Aberlour Mains, established a herd at Burnside, Ballindalloch, about forty years ago, bringing with him some polled cows from Dandaleith. Bulls were obtained from Ballindalloch, Tillyfour, Westertown, Ardgay, Bognie, and

Drumin. The herd took a high place at the shows of the Spey, Aven, and Fiddichside Farmers' Club, instituted in 1856, two of Mr Robertson's prize heifers at these shows going to Drumin, where one of them, Princess 950, founded a valuable family. In later years much of the Erica blood was infused by the use of males of that strain, and at the Garline sale in 1874, Mr William Robertson acquired two Erica females, Ella 1205 and Editha 1737. Apart from these Ericas, the most valuable family in the Burnside herd was the Honestys, a branch of the Drumin Lucy family. These were remarkable milkers, old Honesty 1690 having yielded as much milk as any other two cows in the herd. On leaving Burnside for Aberlour Mains, Mr William Robertson sold the bulk of his herd in May 1880, when 31 animals averaged £28, 7s. 8d., 16 cows making an average of £32, 7s. A new herd was begun at Aberlour Mains. The herd, of which the nucleus was descendants of the Ericas bought at Garline, and Honestys bred at Drumin, now comprises Georgina 3893, descended from the late Mr Robertson's cow Princess 950, sold in 1862 to Mr Skinner; Delilah 3894, bred at Inverallan, of the Drumin Lucy family, and her three-year-old daughter Rose of Aberlour 4845, by the Erica bull Egbert 1443; Honesty 3rd 3754, Helena of Aberlour 4849, Honnesty 6th 4848, and Hetty 4844, these four of the Honesty branch of the Lucy family; Jewel 1413, of the Jilt family; Edma Erica 3759, of the Erica family; Heatherbells, of Drumin blood; Young Favourite 3rd 3533, of Kinnochtry blood; and Duchess of Burnside 3762, descended from Old Grannie 1. Several other good families are represented, and the younger stock are after the Erica bull Whig 1867; Souter Johnny 1615, bred at Drumin; Moraystown 1439, a son of Adrian 2nd 622 and Forgetme-not 1685; and the Erica bull Egbert 1443. One of the sires now in use is Paris 1473, the first-prize two-year-old at the Paris Exhibition. In collecting his new herd, Mr